Gift guides · the tween years

Birthday gifts for 10–12 year olds

Their online worlds: Roblox and Minecraft above all — a Robux gift card is genuinely the most-wanted gift at this age, however it makes adults feel. Otherwise: proper stationery, series fiction (Percy Jackson), sports kit for their actual team.

The classic mistake: Toys. The word itself is now an insult. It's 'merch', 'kit' or 'stuff' from here on.

Gifts that actually land

Oast Houses - BIG 500 Piece Jigsaw Puzzle ↗£9.59No. 26 - Catch of the Day - 1000 Piece Jigsaw Puzzle ↗£15.99Crystal Growing Experimental Kit ↗£23.99Little Dutch Fishing Game - Blue ↗£31The Printed Peanut Black Cat Charcoal Soap ↗£8The Printed Peanut Lavender Blossom Soap ↗£8Ecoliving Travel Soap Bar 100g ↗£5Play & Go Noomad Playmat and Storage Bag - Jungle ↗£46KIDLY by MORI Mesh Shoe - Green ↗£14Santa Cruz Socks Salba Bones Sock Black & White 2 Pack UK7-11 ↗£23Lots Of Lego Birthday Card ↗£2.95Powell Peralta Ripper Cotton Socks Striped Pink Black White UK7-11 ↗£21

Real products from shops we read nightly, with a link straight to each one; where the shelf can't help yet, a link to a retailer search so you can still compare. Buying for family abroad? Inside the app these switch to shops in their country automatically.